Circular knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A circular knitting machine includes lower bricks, guiding elements attached to the lower bricks and formed with a guiding groove extending like the profile of a peak, needles, upper bricks, hooks movably connected to the upper bricks. Each of the needles includes a rear edge, a front edge, a body extending from a head to a tail, and a fin extending from the body and being movable in the guiding groove of a related one of the guiding elements so that the needle is movable up and down relative to the guiding elements as the needle is movable around the guiding element. The head of each of the needles includes a first inclined edge extending downward from the rear edge, a second inclined edge extending toward the rear edge while extending downward from the first inclined edge, and a recess defined between the second inclined edge and the front edge.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a circular knitting machine and, more particularly, to a needle and guiding element of a circular knitting machine.

2. Related Prior Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, a jersey 100 includes two patterns 50 each formed amid a background 40 formed on a related one of two sides 20 and 30. The color of the pattern 50 on the first side 20 of the jersey 100 is the color of the background 40 on the second side 30 of the jersey 100, and the color of the background 40 on the first side 20 of the jersey 100 is the color of the pattern 50 on the second side 30 of the jersey 100. The jersey 100 is made of a composite yarn 10 by knitting. The composite yarn 10 includes two yarns 6 and 7 of different colors. The first yarn 6 includes an internal side attached to an internal side of the second yarn 7. Each of the yarns 6 and 7 includes an external side that is visible. On the first side 20 of the jersey 100, the external side of the first yarn 6 forms the pattern 50 while the external side of the second yarn 7 forms the background 40. On the second side 30 of the jersey 100, the external side of the second yarn 7 forms the pattern 50 while the external side of the first yarn 6 forms the background 40. To this end, the composite yearn 10 is twisted every time when it is directed past the boundary between the pattern 50 and the background 40 in the knitting of the jersey 100. More details of such a jersey can be found in Taiwanese Patent M387112 filed on 24 Mar. 2010.

The jersey 100 however cannot be knit by any conventional circular knitting machine. Therefore, there is a need for knitting a jersey such as the jersey 100.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a circular knitting machine for knitting a jersey with two patterns each formed amid a background formed on a related one of two sides so that the color of the pattern on the first side of the jersey is the color of the background on the second side of the jersey, and that the color of the background on the first side of the jersey is the color of the pattern on the second side of the jersey.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the circular knitting machine includes lower bricks, guiding elements, needles, upper bricks and hooks. The lower bricks are arranged along a circle. Each of the guiding elements is attached to a related one of the lower bricks and formed with a guiding groove extending like the profile of a peak. Each of the needles includes a head, a tail, a body extending from the head to the tail, and a fin transversely extending from the body. The body includes a rear edge and a front edge. The fin is movable in the guiding groove of a related one of the guiding elements so that the needle is movable up and down relative to the guiding elements as the needle is movable around the guiding element. The upper bricks are arranged along a smaller circle. The hooks are movably connected to the upper bricks. The head of each of the needles includes two inclined edges and a recess. The first inclined edge extends downward from the rear edge. The second inclined edge extends toward the rear edge while extending downward from the first inclined edge. The recess is defined between the second inclined edge and the front edge.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a jersey;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the jersey shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial view of the jersey shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial view of the jersey shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is another enlarged, partial view of the jersey shown in FIG. 1, showing the twisting of a composite yarn of the jersey;

FIG. 6 is a partial, perspective view of a circular knitting machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view of a needle and mountain-shaped block of the circular knitting machine shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, side view of the needle shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, perspective view of the mountain-shaped block shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the mountain-shaped block shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view of the circular knitting machine shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the circular knitting machine in another position than shown in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the circular knitting machine in another position than shown in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a circular knitting machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The circular knitting machine includes needles 1, guiding elements 2, upper bricks 3, hooks 4, lower bricks 5 and a yarn feeder 8. The upper bricks 3 are arranged along a circle. The hooks 4 are movably connected to the upper bricks 3. The lower bricks 5 are arranged along a larger circle. The needles 1 are movably connected to the lower bricks 5. Each of the mountain-shaped blocks 2 is formed on a rear side of a related one of the lower bricks 5. Via the yarn feeder 8, two yarns 6 and 7 are fed into the circular knitting machine. A jersey such as the jersey 100 addressed in the Related Prior Art can be made of the yarns 6 and 7 by the knitting machine.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the needles 1 includes a head 11, a body 12, a tail 13 and a fin 14. The body 12 extends from the head 11 to the tail 13. The fin 14 extends from the body 12 transversely. The needle 1 includes a front vertical edge 19 and a rear vertical edge 18. The head 11 includes a first inclined edge 15, a second inclined edge 16 and a recess 17. The first inclined edge 15 extends from the rear edge 18. The second inclined edge 16 extends from the first inclined edge 15. The second inclined edge 16 extends toward the rear edge 18 while extending downward. There is an acute angle θ4 between the second inclined edge 16 and a vertical line. The recess 17 is defined between the second inclined edge 16 and the front edge 19.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 9 and 10, each of the guiding elements 2 includes a guiding groove 21 defined in a rear side extending perpendicular to a lower side 24. The guiding groove 21 extends like the profile of a peak. The guiding groove 21 is defined by and between external and internal banks. The external bank of the guiding groove 21 includes three sections 21 a, 21 b and 21 c. The first section 21 a of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 extends from a leading section 241 of the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. The second section 21 b of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 extends from the first section 21 a. The third section 21 c of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 extends from the second section 21 b. There is an acute angle θ1 between the first section 21 a of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 and the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. There is an acute angle θ2 between the second section 21 b of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 and the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. There is an acute angle θ3 between the third section 21 c of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 and the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. The acute angle θ1 is smaller than the acute angle θ2, which is identical to the acute angle θ3.

The internal bank of the guiding groove 21 includes three sections. The first section 21 d of the internal bank of the guiding groove 21 extends from another section of the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. The second section of the internal bank of the guiding groove 21 extends substantially parallel to the second section 21 b of the external bank of the guiding groove 21. The third section of the internal bank of the guiding groove 21 extends parallel to the third section 21 c of the external bank of the guiding groove 21.

The guiding groove 21 includes an inlet 22 and an outlet 23. The inlet 22 is located near a leading end 26 of the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. The outlet 23 is located near a tailing end 25 of the lower side 24 of the guiding element 2. The inlet 22 is defined by and between the first section 21 a of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 and the first section 21 d of the internal bank of the guiding groove 21. The inlet 22 is shaped like an inverted funnel for effectively guiding the fin 14 of a needle 1. The outlet 23 of the guiding groove 21 is defined by and between the third section 21 c of the external bank of the guiding groove 21 and the third section of the internal bank of the guiding groove 21.

Referring to FIG. 7, the fin 14 of a needle 1 is received and movable in and along the guiding groove 21 so that the needle 1 is movable up and down relative to the guiding element 2. The head 11 of the needle 1 comes into contact with the yarns 6 and 7 when the needle 1 reaches the upper position.

Referring to FIG. 8, the yarns 6 and 7 are moved along the head 11 as the needle 1 is moved upward relative to the yarns 6 and 7. Three positions of the yarns 6 and 7 are shown. In the uppermost position, the first yarn 6 is located in front of the second yarn 7 while they are moved along the first inclined edge 15 of the head 11 of the needle 1. In the middle position, the first yarn 6 is dropped onto the second inclined edge 16 of the head 11 of the needle 1 before the second yarn 7 is. Hence, the first yarn 6 is moved toward the rear edge 18 from the front edge 19, i.e., the second yarn 7 is located in front of and higher than the first yarn 6. In the lowermost position, the second yarn 7 is located in front of the first yarn 6.

Referring to FIG. 11, the yarns 6 and 7 are fed into the circular knitting machine via the yarn feeder 8. The yarns 6 and 7 are hooked by some of the hooks 4. All of the needles 1 are located in the lower position. Therefore, the first yarn 6 is located in front of the second yarn 7.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, at least one of the needles 1 is located in the upper position so that the second yarn 7 is located in front of the first yarn 6 in a manner described with reference to FIG. 8. Thus, a jersey includes two patterns each formed amid a background formed on a related one of two sides. The color of the pattern on the first side of the jersey is the color of the background on the second side of the jersey. Obviously, the color of the background on the first side of the jersey is the color of the pattern on the second side of the jersey.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims. 

1. A circular knitting machine including: lower bricks 5 arranged along a circle; guiding elements 2 each attached to a related one of the lower bricks 5 and formed with a guiding groove 21 extending like the profile of a peak; needles 1 each including: a head 11; a tail 13; a body 12 extending from the head 11 to the tail 13 and including a rear edge 18 and a front edge 19; and a fin 14 extending from the body 12 and being movable in the guiding groove 21 of a related one of the guiding elements 2 so that the needle 1 is movable up and down relative to the guiding elements 2 as the needle 1 is movable around the guiding element 2; upper bricks 3 arranged along a smaller circle; and hooks 4 movably connected to the upper bricks 3; the circular knitting machine being characterized in that the head 11 of each of the needles 1 includes a first inclined edge 15 extending downward from the rear edge 18, a second inclined edge 16 extending toward the rear edge 18 while extending downward from the first inclined edge 15, and a recess 17 defined between the second inclined edge 16 and the front edge
 19. 2. The circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the guiding groove 21 includes an inlet 22 and outlet 23 defined in a lower edge 24 of the guiding element 2, wherein the inlet 22 is shaped like an inverted funnel for effectively guiding the fin 14 into the guiding groove
 21. 3. The circular knitting machine according to claim 2, wherein the guiding groove 21 includes external and internal banks.
 4. The circular knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the external bank of the guiding groove 21 includes: a first section 21 a extending from the inlet 22 so that a first acute angle θ1 is defined between the first section 21 a and a horizontal line; a second section 21 b extending from the first section 21 a so that a second acute angle θ2 is defined between the second section 21 b and a horizontal line, wherein the second acute angle θ2 is larger than the first acute angle θ1; and a third section 21 c extending from the second section 21 b so that a third acute angle θ3 is defined between the third section 21 c and a horizontal line, wherein the third acute angle θ3 is identical to the first acute angle θ1.
 5. The circular knitting machine according to claim 4, wherein the internal bank of the guiding groove 21 includes a first section 21 d extending from the inlet 22, wherein the first section 24 d of the internal bank and the first section 24 a of the external bank together define the inlet
 22. 